| Steve Wilkos | |
|---|---|
| Born | Steven John Wilkos March 9, 1964 Chicago, USA |
| Occupation | U.S. Marine, United States Marine Corps (1982-1989), Patrolman, Chicago Police Department (1990-2001), director of security for The Jerry Springer Show (1994-2007), talk show host of the The Steve Wilkos Show (2007-present) |
| Known for | The Jerry Springer Show and The Steve Wilkos Show |
| Spouse(s) | Rachelle Consiglio |
| Website www.stevewilkos.com |
|
Steven John "Steve" Wilkos (pronounced /ˈwɪlkoʊs/; born March 9, 1964)[1] is an American television personality, and a former U.S. Marine and Chicago police officer. [2] He currently hosts his own talk show, The Steve Wilkos Show. Best known as the former director of security on The Jerry Springer Show, Wilkos had previously substituted for Springer as host on many occasions before being given his own talk show.
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Personal background
Wilkos was born Steven John Wilkos on March 9, 1964, in Chicago. He graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1982 then joined the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1982 to 1989. He joined the Chicago Police Department in 1990.[1][2] His wife, Rachelle Consiglio, is the executive producer for Springer as well as his own show; Steve and Rachelle have two children.[3] They lived in Park Ridge, Illinois while working in Chicago. Steve and his family currently reside in the Stamford, Connecticut area where the show is now taped.[4]
Career
The Jerry Springer Show
In May 1994, the producers of The Jerry Springer Show, taped in Chicago, needed security guards for a Ku Klux Klan-related show, so they decided to hire off-duty police. Wilkos then worked part-time for Springer security. [5] He recruited several fellow officers for the job[2], and worked exclusively for the show, leaving the police department in 2001.
In 2002, Entertainment Weekly reported that Wilkos became a professional wrestler with the Maryland Championship Wrestling, during a temporary production hiatus of Springer.[6][7] In 2005, Wilkos appeared as a guest on Check, Please!, a restaurant-reviewing program on Chicago's PBS station, WTTW.[8]
Beyond Springer, he has made cameo appearances on the TV series Between Brothers, The Wayans Bros and The Simpsons, and in the movie Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me where he was seen as a security guard for Jerry Springer.[3]
The Steve Wilkos Show
In January 2007, NBC Universal Television officially announced that Wilkos would host a talk show of his own based at NBC Tower in Chicago. The self-titled program premiered on September 10, 2007 to high ratings.[9]
While performing security functions at the Jerry Springer Show, Steve would occasionally step in to interrupt or separate guests that would get involved in physical altercations. During his attempt to separate the fighting party, the crowd would sometimes call out his name, "Steve! Steve!" in support of his actions. Other times, he would be the subject of flirtatious comments by either the invited guests or the audience, afterwards someone in the crowd would again call his name out. This action replicated itself on his own show, often substituting applause for "Steve! Steve!" as a sign of approval.
As of August 2009, the show has moved it's filming location to Stamford, Connecticut.
References
- ^ a b "Steve Wilkos". NNDB. 2007. http://www.nndb.com/people/737/000164245/. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- ^ a b c Weller, Sam (1998-01-12). "Talk Toughs". Weekly Wire. http://weeklywire.com/ww/01-12-98/chicago_cover.html. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- ^ a b "About Steve Wilkos". WGN-TV. 2007. http://wgntv.trb.com/entertainment/syn/stevewilkos/. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- ^ Chicago Sun-Times - Recent home sales
- ^ Graham, Colin (1999). "Steve's Interview". http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Picture/5433/steve.htm?20079. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- ^ Hiatt, Brian (2002-03-29). "ABC Cancels "Once and Again"". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,220962,00.html. Retrieved 2008-01-01.
- ^ YouTube - MCW Steve Wilkos & Gillberg Vs. Dino Divine & Chad Bowman
- ^ "Vivienne on Check Please!". Toyus Interruptus. 2005-10-20. http://toyus.blogspot.com/2005/10/vivienne-on-check-please.html. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
- ^ Pursell, Chris (2007-09-11). "‘TMZ,’ ‘Wilkos’ Have Strong Debuts in Syndication". TV Week. http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/09/tmz_wilkos_have_strong_debuts.php. Retrieved 2007-12-15.
External links
- Steve Wilkos' blog at TVWeek.com
- Steve Wilkos at the Internet Movie Database
- The Steve Wilkos Show Official Website
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